to the House in an ambulance having suffered a severe heart attack. The two Whips went out to look in the ambulance and there was Leslie Spriggs laid there as though he was dead. I believe that John Stradling Thomas said to Joe Harper, 'How do we know that he is alive?' So he leaned forward, turned the knob on the heart machine, the green light went around, and he said, 'There, you've lost—it's 311' [the vote had been tied 310-310]. That is an absolutely true story. It is the sort of nonsense that used to happen. No one believes it, but it is true." References Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 and 1979 External links 1910 births 1990 deaths Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies National Union of Railwaymen-sponsored MPs UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs 1974 UK MPs 1974–1979 UK MPs 1979–1983 Royal Navy sailors Conductor (rail)